Axis History Forum

This is an apolitical forum for discussions on the Axis nations and related topics hosted by Marcus Wendel's Axis History Factbook in cooperation with Christian Ankerstjerne’s Panzerworld and Christoph Awender's WW2 day by day.
Founded in 1999.

Who was the last allied soldier KIA on the Pacific?? It was private Edward O'Dell Mullins Jr (Co A, I/128 IR from 32 ID) killed by sniper at 6.15 on 14th August?? Or mayby sergeant Anthony J. Marchione (B-32 crew) KIA 18th August during patrol flight??

"Post-Treaty -- December 8, 1945, more than three months after peace was officially concluded---U.S Marines fought the final full-fledged firefight with the Japanese at Asan Point, Guam. Snipers ambushed a four-man patrol of A Co., 4th MP Bn., killing three Marines: Lt. Ray W. Atchinson, Cpl. Howard W. Price and Pvt. Herbert E. Ward. Pvt. Robert K. Ross, the sole survivor, was wounded. But the dubious distinction of being the last American killed in action by the Japanese actually goes to Pfc. William C. Patrick Bates of K Co., 3rd Bn., 3rd Regt., 3rd Marine Div., on Dec 14, 1945. Part of Patrol No. 7, a 16-man squad, Bates was on a five-day sweep of Tactical Area 505 Peter located behind the Asan-Piti beaches in Guam's west-central sector. The search-and-destroy mission for Japanese stragglers was headed for the village of Piti. The squad was moving along a ridge covered with 6-foot-high sword grass when shots rang out at 12:30 p.m. "I was the last man to see Bates before the shooting," Pfc. Charles E. Kocourek stated. "As I entered about four feet into the grass, the shooting started. The shots came from our right. I hit the deck and counted six or seven shots." Assistant patrol leader Cpl. William W. Culver said, "When the firing started everyone hit the deck," but it ceased quickly. Bates, flank man 10 yards to the right of the column, was the only Marine hit. Fellow patrol members never fired a shot or even sighted the enemy. Perhaps only one or two Japanese staged the ambush. It took 15 or 20 minutes to locate Bates' wounded body---he died approximately 45 minutes later at about 1:30 p.m.The Alabaman had originally arrived on Guam on Sept. 21, 1944, about a month after the island battle. He survived the Battle of Iwo Jima only to become the last American KIA in World War II. He is buried in Honolulu's Punchbowl, Section 17, Grave Number 178. His hometown public library honored him in 1995."

bf109 emil wrote:how do we define the last casualty...Did any die further on from wounds sustained in Battle...what of contracting an infectious disease and succumbing later on?

I know, that after WWII lot of peoples were killed in accidents, on old minefields, died from disease etc. So - in my opinion real last WWII casualty can be soldier killed in battle with armed soldiers of any Axis country. At this moment I know Allied soldiers killed in battle with Axis (japanese) soldiers in december 1945. But mayby on any Pacific islands were other killed Allied soldiers - after December 1945.

February 1946 Philippines - on Lubang Island.70 miles southwest of Maillia Bay a seven week campaign to clear the island was begun by the Filipino 341st and American 86th Division. Intense fighting developed on February 22, 1946 when troops encountered 30 Japanese. Eight Allied troops were killed, including 2 Filipinos. The Filipino and Americans sent for an additional 20,000 rounds of small arm ammunition, but not future battles occurred of this magnitude.

March 1946 GuamA Japanese band of unknown size attacked and killed a six man patrol on Guam on March 1946.

End March - early April 1947 Peleliu Island - Band of Japanese lead by Ei YamaguchiA band of 33 Japanese soldiers, commanded by Lt. Ei Yamaguchi renews fighting on the island by attacking a Marine patrol with hand grenades. At that time, only 150 Marines were stationed on the island, with 35 dependents. Reinforcement were called in to hunt down the hideouts. American patrols with a Japanese Admiral sent to convince the troops that the war was indeed over finally convinced the holdouts to come out peacefully. The band emerged from the jungle in two groups in late April, lead by Ei Yamaguchi who turned over his sword and unit's battle flags.

June 1947 Philippines4,000 of the 114,000 troops in the Philippines as of August 1945 were still unaccounted for in mid 1946. Only 109 miles from the capital, Manila, were signs warning about armed Japanese soldiers still in the hills.

Late 1948 ChinaAn estimated 10-20,000 well equipped Japanese troops were trapped in the mountains of Manchuria and did not surrender until late in 1948. They were caught in a no man's land of civil war stuck between the warring Nationalist and Communist forces and were unable to surrender.

February 1946 Philippines - on Lubang Island.70 miles southwest of Maillia Bay a seven week campaign to clear the island was begun by the Filipino 341st and American 86th Division. Intense fighting developed on February 22, 1946 when troops encountered 30 Japanese. Eight Allied troops were killed, including 2 Filipinos. The Filipino and Americans sent for an additional 20,000 rounds of small arm ammunition, but not future battles occurred of this magnitude.

e.g. "On 9 October 1945, the Division conducted a simultaneous search of all land areas under control for missing persons and Japanese still operating in the area. The search ended 11 October 1945. This search netted 16 Japanese and two bodies of Filipino scouts. "

But is no info about any fights on Lubang or killed american soldiers.

The U.S. Army Military History Institute gives "Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths in World War II" but gives a Final Report period of 7 December 1941 - 31 December 1946.I assume this covers the demobilisation period in 1946 as well,and accounts for a final tally of POW deaths,revised missing,and even those still dying of wounds and disease after 1945 etc.

The U.S. Army Military History Institute gives "Battle Casualties and Nonbattle Deaths in World War II" but gives a Final Report period of 7 December 1941 - 31 December 1946.I assume this covers the demobilisation period in 1946 as well,and accounts for a final tally of POW deaths,revised missing,and even those still dying of wounds and disease after 1945 etc.

So - for Americans all military casualties in period 2 September 1945 - 31 December 1946 are World War II casualties?? Hmmm... interesting...

I see US Army and Air Force list of deaths on hyperwar. In Sept. - Dec. 1945 there were 1 KIA and 1 DoW (in battle), and in 1946 1 KIA in Burma/China/India Theatre, and sept.-Dec. 1945: 31 KIA, 11 DoW, and 1946: 2 KIA on Pacific Theatre.

But more interesting is data from Europe (both Western and Mediterrean Theatres) - battle casualties from June 1945 - Dec 1945: 121 KIA and 49 DoW, and from 1946: 2 KIA and 1 DoW (only BATTLE CASUALTUES!!). If soldiers DoW can be wounded before war ended but died later - than KIA must be killed in fights after Germany captured.So - there were any confirmed fights between Allied and Germans/others after Germany captured??